Welcome to Boss Ladies, the review column written by members for members! Today, Jules Stewart will share all her feels about Keys, the latest album release from Cristina Cooper. 

Cristina Cooper's newest album, Keys, is an incredibly honest and intimate look into her emotional journey from the past 25 years. This collection of songs, some of which were written over 20 years ago, is an open journal, chronicling moments from tender insecurity and heartache to bold declarations of love and dignity. Keys was released independently on November 28th, 2020.

Though it’s hard to use the term “silver lining” about any part of 2020, the slower pace of life for many artists who are accustomed to busy gigging schedules has allowed unique introspection and time for projects that have been pushed aside. Cooper used the time to revisit songs from her catalogue that she had never shared with the world. This collection of songs, along with five beautiful musical interludes, became Keys. It seems clear that these songs had been kept private not for lack of quality, but because of the vulnerability it takes to share such deeply personal and introspective work. 

Cooper's choice of stripped down instrumentation and subtle production perfectly compliment the intimate nature of these songs. Perhaps the most elegant example of this is seen in “Come Back to Me” where the vocals are given space to breathe and soar over a steady piano rhythm and gentle synth swells. The vocals are consistently stirring and excellent throughout the album but are showcased perhaps most of all on “The Bar” with its impressive, expressive runs and complementary harmonies.

Cooper played every instrument and part on the album with the exception of the violin on “Long Road”, played masterfully by Evan Price. If that isn’t impressive enough, she also engineered, produced, and mixed the album herself in her own home studio. Her musical mastery is apparent but not ostentatious; every note seems to have purpose and serves the message of her songs ideally from the gentle guitar in “Wake Up” to the anchoring bass in “I Miss You When I Sleep”. 

All in all, Keys is a phenomenally beautiful, emotionally vulnerable endeavor. Cooper's full range of artistic and technical talents are on display from songwriting to multi-instrument performance to engineering and production. The emotional candor and heartfelt lyrics of the songs shine brightly from start to finish and provide ample space for catharsis and connection for listeners. While we’re not done savoring Keys, we’re already looking forward to Cooper's next project, an instrumental mood music album. Stay tuned!​

Listen to Keys:
Spotify - Apple Music - Tidal - Amazon Music - YouTube - Pandora - YouTube Music

Next up in our Queer+ Voices series, we'll be featuring drummer, music instructor, and audio engineer Jules Stewart, who proudly identifies as an androgynous-presenting lesbian womxn.

​Tell us a little bit about your coming out experience(s). How has life changed for you since being “out”?
JS: I grew up without knowing anything about homosexuality, but have dressed and presented as androgynous since I was very young. Because of my deeply religious upbringing, I had a massive amount of internalized homophobia (hatred toward myself) as I started to realize I was gay. As hard as I prayed and asked God to make me straight, it didn't work, so I started doing the work to understand myself as a whole person deserving of love (which I'm still working on).

When I came out to my parents, there was mourning of Biblical proportions, but my sister has been supportive and loving beyond my wildest dreams. I've also been incredibly lucky to have a wonderful friend family around me...best friends that have always loved me and wanted joy, true self-expression and a full life for me. The process of coming out and accepting myself has helped me to see the humanity, complexity, and beauty in all people just a little better. For me, it's been true that the more I release my own shame and guilt, the more fully I can love other people.

​LBP: How do other aspects of your identity intersect (or perhaps clash) with your sexuality?
JS: ​The experience of being an androgynous-presenting female drummer has been an interesting one! Female drummers can be fetishized or hired as anomalies because femininity and drumming have not been represented together very extensively in the media. I think my gender presentation has let me skip quite a bit of that, but it also puts me in a bit of a unique spot: not a male drummer for bands that would prefer that, not a hyper feminine drummer for bands that would prefer that...just a drummer trying to make every song as beautiful as it can be. It gives me the lovely knowledge that when I get hired, it's because of my playing and myself rather than my gender. I'd call that a win.

LBP: Pride is a celebration of liberation but also an acknowledgement of struggle, resistance, and revolution. Where do you see yourself in that celebration? Where do you see yourself in that struggle?
JS: I am incredibly grateful for the Black trans womxn who began and carried the fight for rights for the LGBTQ+ community. I also am learning more and more that the rights I enjoy (voting as a womxn, being able to get married as a lesbian, and many more) were direct consequences of the fight for equality waged by and for Black people. I believe that none of us are free until all of us are free, and it's hard to claim victory for the LGBTQ+ community when so many of our members are oppressed and in literal danger of death, including and certainly not limited to Black queer people, indigenous people, undocumented people, and trans people. Wherever we all find our place in the fight for equality, now is the time to find it.

LBP: As an artist, how does your “queerness" or sexual orientation show up in your creative work?
JS: I believe the process of loving and accepting myself as a queer person has made me more able to see beauty and truth in more of the world. It has also helped me trust my own creativity as valid and valuable. As I've become more accepting of my whole self, I've grown to love more styles of music and connect with a more diverse spectrum of art and expression. I believe being queer has shaped my entire outlook on the world and on the music I play. ​

LBP: What queer-centered artists, shows, films, podcasts, authors, etc. are you into right now?
​JS: Ooooh boy. Podcasts: Gay Church with Valerie Franco (I can't recommend this highly enough if you want to hear more about the interactions between being gay and being religious) and Transform - Beyond the Transition.

In terms of shows and movies: Disclosure and Feel Good are my two most recent favorites.

Books: Untamed by Glennon Doyle, Unapologetic by Charlene A. Carruthers, Wolfpack by Abby Wambach, and It's About Damn Time by Arlan Hamilton.

Other: Everything Cameron Esposito does.

LBP: What are some of your favorite LGBTQ+ organizations or businesses you'd recommend our readers look into, buy from, donate to, volunteer for, etc.?
​JS: Organizations: The Trevor Project, House of Resilience.

Businesses: SCEND fitness (my wife owns this!), DapperBoi (androgynous clothing that is awesome).

To find out more about Jules Stewart, visit https://julesstewartdrums.com/. Stay tuned throughout the month of July for more Queer+ Voices interviews!

​

As for our Recording Home Vocals workshop, our special guest Amelia Sarkisian talked to the group about various microphones, set up, signal flow, gain structure, and more. Given the circumstances of sheltering in place, it was beneficial to discuss ways to become more proficient in our home recording set-ups. There's so much to learn - we'll definitely be revisiting this topic in the future!

There are so many wonderful opportunities to show up for your creative community this month! Here are your official Marching orders. (We like puns, deal with it).

Thursday, March 5 - Queer Folx Making Music at Gossip Grill in Hillcrest
This new curated quarterly series includes queer acts from San Diego to Iowa representing a multitude of genres . Performers include Mandi Jo (R&B/NeoSoul), Khalil Bleux (R&B/Soul), Tori Roze (NeoSoul/Jazz), Girlboy (Soul-Hop), and Rika-Rai (Inspirational/Soul). $5 Cover, 21+, 7-10pm. More info 

Friday, March 13 - Calamity at Grand Ole BBQ Flinn Springs in El Cajon
Three sets of fun and original folk rock music with Calamity! No cover, all ages, 5-8pm. More info

Tuesday, March 17 - SDMA Showcase ft. Lindsay White at The Merrow in Hillcrest
Join Lindsay White as she celebrates her San Diego Music Award nomination for Best Pop Album with a full band performance (including Jules Stewart on drums) at this nominee showcase. Also on the bill are Evan Diamond and Kimmi Bitter. 21+, 8pm-Midnight More info

Thursday, March 19 - SDMA Showcase ft. The Spiritual Motels and Gaby Aparicio at Humphrey's Backstage Live in Point Loma
San Diego Music Awards Nominee Showcase at Humphrey's Backstage Live, featuring Lady Brain Collective members Gaby Aparicio and The Spiritual Motels (Amy Day), plus Berkley Hart, Trouble in the Wind, Mohavi Soul, and the Johnny Tarr Quintet. $10 Cover, 21+, 6-10pm. More info

Monday, March 23 - San Diego Music Awards at House of Blues Downtown
We know, we know, this guitar-playing astronaut is getting a lot of love in this particular edition of the Brain Candy blog! Here's the main event! Tickets are on sale now for the 29th annual San Diego Music Awards. We're very proud of our nominated members and can't wait to hang with them on this fun night supporting the Guitars for Schools Program. $36-75, Doors 6pm, Showtime 7:15pm. More info

Welcome to Boss Ladies, the review column written by members for members! In this edition, Jules Stewart reviews “Recently," the debut single from Melanie Medina.

Let me set the scene for you: you’re out catching some live music at your favorite spot, and someone is ripping out artful solos, perfect rhythms, and riffs that float like fog around the rest of the band. You’re feeling the music and so is everyone around you. You look up to find out who’s on guitar and it’s Melanie Medina. It’s always Melanie Medina. Melanie has a degree in Jazz Guitar and gigs extensively around San Diego, but not everyone has had the chance to hear her original music or her sweet, smooth vocals. In her debut single, “Recently," she comes out swinging with a feel-good bop that manages to provide plenty of fun for casual listeners and studied musicians alike. With its syncopated vocal rhythms and funky hits, this song made me smile right off the bat. Conceptually, “Recently" playfully explores the sometimes overwhelming highs that come from adoring someone: lost sleep, studying every attribute, and the deep desire to truly know them.

It’s a terribly difficult thing to orchestrate musical complexity into a finished product that smacks a listener with simple joy. Writing a happy love song that stays away from the trite or cliche is also no small feat. “Recently" manages both. Melanie’s full, layered bed of guitar rhythms and her ultra-melodic solo are woven seamlessly with keys (from Shandon Campbell, who also produced the track) and snazzy trombone and saxophone lines (by Kevin Urzua and Juan Gonzales, respectively). As a drummer myself, I usually have a hard time hearing anything other than drums and bass on my first few times listening to a track, but the parts of this one fit so well together that what struck me first was the feel of “Recently." The relaxed, bouncy groove laid down by Abran Gurrola on drums and Sean Hicke is perfection; it feels just as central to the theme of the song as the lyrics.

​You know how animated movies notoriously contain “easter eggs,” or hidden gems that are placed there just for the careful watcher to find? Melanie managed to nestle in a handful of little jokes and puns for jazz-lovers in the same way. They’re worked in so smoothly that I was almost mad at myself when I recognized them, just like I was when someone pointed out the fact Lightning McQueen races with Lightyear tires in Cars. Oh, you thought I was going to point those jazz jokes out? No dice, find them yourself.

All in all, “Recently" is an impossibly great debut single from a musician who is just starting to explore what it’s like to take a lead role in her own musical project. I’m looking forward to the next two singles which are set to be released later this year. 
​
Stream/Download “Recently" Online

February is the shortest month of the year, but it is jam-packed with events from members of Lady Brain Collective. Mark your calendars for great music, art, and entertainment from the most creative womxn in town!

Saturday, February 1 - Corina Rose Collective Album Release w/ Shane Hall at EVE Encinitas
Groovy, funky spiritual soul and rock and roll! More info

Saturday, February 8 - Tori Roze & The Hot Mess at Amplified Ale Works in Pacific Beach 
Tori Roze & The Hot Mess brings you funky-jazzy-Neo-soul original music and cover jams at your fabulous neighborhood brewery featuring 16 original brews and delicious Mediterranean grub. No cover. 8-10pm. More info

Friday, February 14 - Calamity at De Oro Mine Company in El Cajon
Come solo or bring your sweetie to “the Ford Pinto of bars" De Oro Mine Company on Valentine's Day. Join the Calamity gals for some self-love, great music, games, and raffles. Three full hours of fun beginning at 8pm, no cover. 21+. More info

Saturday, February 15 through Wednesday, February 19 - The Muse in Winter: A Creativity Retreat in Taos, N.M at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House 
Restore, revitalize, and nourish your creative self where creative greats from Georgia O'Keefe to Martha Graham received creative inspiration. Writing, art, yoga, improv games for the intimidated beginner to the seasoned expert. With author/illustrator and creative coaching guru, Jill Badonsky. More info

Tuesday, February 18 - The Spiritual Motels and The Banduvloons with Touchtone at The Casbah
Come out and support Lady Brain members Amy Day, Karina Frost Moreno and KC Deichler as The Spiritual Motels and The Banduvloons make their Casbah debut!  9pm, $6, 21+.  More info 

Saturday, February 29 - Lady Brain Presents “Love in the Round" Community Gathering in South Park
Please join us for this historic leap year event at a private residence in South Park, where we will explore various definitions of and experiences with love. Our host Bonnie Nicholls will kick off the night, followed by a Nashville-style songwriters round featuring Astra Kelly and Carissa Schroeder. We will also showcase art by Barbara Rutherford. $10 advance tickets. Limited capacity seating; please make sure to RSVP early! More info

A new year and a new decade are just around the corner, and Lady Brain Collective members are already working hard to bring you fun live events throughout San Diego. Mark your calendars and go support womxn creators in your community! 

Thursday, January 9 - Plunderbund at Amplified Backstage Beer Lounge in Pacific Beach
Join Lady Brain Collective member Lisa Brackmann and her Plunderbund bandmates for free live music and the freshest craft beer inches away from the Pacific Ocean! 7-9pm. More info 

Friday, January 10 - Naiomi Sounds Co-Hosts Open Mic at Bad Ass Coffee in Rancho Penasquitos
A few Lady Brain Collective members will be heading out to the Bad Ass Coffee open mic, which is held every other Friday and co-hosted by member Naiomi Sounds. Sign-ups at 6pm, event runs from 6:30-8:30pm. More info

Thursday, January 23 - Golden Howl at Music Box in Little Italy
Golden Howl hits the Music Box stage with a stellar line up of local bands: Aviator Stash, MDRN HSTRY, The Frets, and Coral Bells. Doors at 6:30pm, 21+. Claim as many free tickets as you want via email, or DM on social media.

Happy holiday season to all our friends and readers! If you're looking to fill up your seasonal social calendar with amazing art, music, education, and creativity, the Lady Brain Collective has you covered for fun things to do in San Diego in the coming weeks:

Sunday, December 8 - Lady Brain Presents: Home is Where the Art is Holiday Party at The Holding Company in Ocean Beach
Lady Brain Presents will host its first annual holiday party and winter clothing drive titled “Home is Where the Art is,” with performances by Chloe Lou and The Liddells (retro rock/soul), Julia Sage and The Bad Hombres (South Americana), Miki Vale, (hip-hop) and special guests including emcee Tori Roze. In addition to musical performances, the event will feature a raffle, a collaborative art activity for all attendees, and a winter clothing drive to benefit North County Lifeline’s LifeSpring Program, which offers transitional housing for former foster youth and youth experiencing homelessness. Guests are encouraged to bring (preferably new) beanies, gloves, scarves, socks, blankets. Free, 4-8pm, 21+. More info

Tuesday, December 10 - Acceptance: A soulsong.life Transformative Songwriting Workshop with Astra Kelly at The Lotus Room in Hillcrest
Experience growth, healing, and connection through music by tapping into the creative source. As a group, we will explore the theme of “acceptance" in depth and write a song together that reflects our shared perceptions and experiences. No musical skills necessary! 6-9pm, $60 (Special holiday rate to make it easier to give yourself this gift!) Advance registration required. More info/Register

Friday, December 20 - Tori Roze and The Hot Mess SPECIAL Xmas Show at Bar Pink in North Park
This funky jazzy neo-soul brings you a SPECIAL Xmas version of themselves, including soulful holiday mashups and funky non-denominational tunes to put a smile on your face through the New Year. There will also be a limited edition EP available for purchase by Tori Roze and Johnny Alexander called “Classy Xmas” to stuff those stockings at home! Free, 7-10pm, 21+. More info

Sunday, December 22 - Carissa's Birthday Show ft. Golden Howl at Sycamore Den in Normal Heights
This Lady Brain-laden event will be headlined by Golden Howl (featuring collective members Marlo Smith, Rachel Riba, and Jules Stewart). Birthday girl Carissa Schroeder will open the evening with a solo set of original music on the beautiful (albeit slightly out of tune) piano at Sycamore Den.  Situated nicely between Carissa's birthday (12/20) and the end of year holidays, CS invites you to celebrate with an evening of goddess-y, all-the-feels music, perfect cocktails, delivery ramen, and skeeball.  It's a win-win-win-win. Free, 8-10pm. More info

We had such a wonderful day at yesterday's community gathering! Special thanks to the Lipson family for hosting us at their beautiful home, to all our featured performers, guest artist Amanda Pulis, and to Susan Lipson for facilitating a wonderful creative writing exercise for all attendees. We work hard to build safe spaces for our members and the community to create, connect, express, and be vulnerable with each other. Mission accomplished! 

The theme of this month's gathering was A Way With Words - each performer was asked to share not only their work, but also the inspiration and stories that inspired each piece. We heard about several topics ranging from mental health to grief to aging and more. The common denominator was that each artist combined creativity and resilience to process, heal, and help others. What a beautiful way to cope and connect!

Community gatherings are special because we get to showcase our members' work to the community and because we ask guests to tap into their own creativity. It was wonderful to see so many attendees not only participate in our writing exercise, but also jump up on the mic to share their newly written pieces.

Don't miss out on the next community gathering! We hope you'll join us for next month's holiday party and clothing drive on 12/8 at The Holding Company in Ocean Beach. Want to know more about our showcases? Be sure to sign up for email updates, plus you can also always find showcase info on our homepage. Lastly, if you believe in our cause, please consider becoming a Lady Brain Lover or sponsor so we can continue bringing these awesome events to San Diego!

Thanks to all who attended our August meet-up! Shout out to Jessica Lerner for hosting us and setting up a lovely mimosa station! This month's special guest was Kelsea Rae Little, Media Director at GoFundMe and host of True Stories of Good People podcast. Kelsea fielded our questions about crowdfunding and shared her story of how she got involved with GoFundMe, as well as severals stories of some of the everyday heroes who have used the platform to do good work in the world. There was not a dry eye in the room!